Effects of Feed Mulberry on Production Performance,Egg Quality and Intestinal Tissue Morphology of Laying Hens
[Obj ective]This experiment was conducted to investigate the appropriate amount of feed mulberry and its application effect in laying hens.[Method]Two hundred and seventy Jinghong No.1 laying hens at 36 weeks old were assigned to three dietary treatments randomly.Each treatment consisted of six replicates with 15 hens per replicate.The hens in control group were fed with the basal diet,and the hens in two test groups were fed basal diet added with 1%,3%feed mulberry meal,respecyively.The pre-trial period lasted for 2 weeks,and the experimental period lasted for 12 weeks.During the trial period,daily feed feeding,eggs production,unqualified eggs,eggs weight,and number of hens deaths and culling were recorded every day in each replicate,and the residual feed was recorded once a week.At the end of week 4,8 and 12,5 eggs were randomly selected from each replicate for egg quality determination.At the end of week 12,1 laying hens were randomly selected from each replicate for slaughter,and duodenum,jejunum and ileum samples were separated to determine the intestinal tissue morphology.[Result]Compared with control group,①During 1 to 4 weeks,the laying rate of 1%,3%mulberry meal groups,and the average egg weight of 1%mulberry meal group were decreased significantly(P<0.05).During 9 to 12 weeks,the laying rate of 1%,3%mulberry meal groups were decreased significantly(P<0.05).During the whole experiment period,the laying rate and the average egg weight of 1%,3%mulberry meal groups,and the death and culling rate of 1%mulberry meal group were decreased significantly(P<0.05).②At the end of week 4,the eggshell strength was increased significantly(P<0.05),the L*value of egg yolk was decreased significantly(P<0.05),and the a*value of egg yolk was increased significantly(P<0.05)in 1%mulberry meal group.At the end of week 8,the total cholesterol content in egg yolk of 1%mulberry meal group was decreased significantly(P<0.05).At the end of week 12,the shape index of egg was decreased significantly(P<0.05),and the eggshell strength was increased significantly(P<0.05)in 1%mulberry meal group.The total cholesterol content in egg yolk of 1%,3%mulberry meal groups were decreased significantly(P<0.05).③ At the end of week 12,the muscular thickness of ileum of 3%mulberry meal group was increased significantly(P<0.05),the villus height and the V/C of ileum of 1%mulberry meal group was increased significantly(P<0.05).[Conclusion]Feed mulberry could reduce death and culling rate and improve egg quality of laying hens,but it had some adverse effects on the production performance and intestinal tissue morphology of laying hens.Diet used with 1%feed mulberry meal was the most appropriate for laying hens under this experimental conditions.